


Bonded

by spirithorse



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: M/M, Symbiote!Mikleo, seraphim are symbiotes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-07 16:31:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16411979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spirithorse/pseuds/spirithorse
Summary: “You know, when you said roommate, I assumed that it would just be you and I?”Sorey rolled his eyes, not daring to shrug, not when Mikleo was so comfortably settled. “You knew I was a Shepherd.”“Yeah, but the whole seraph…thing tends to be on the down low.” Lucas rubbed his eyes. “I’ve never seen one of them popping up as much as Mikleo does.”“They’re insecure in their relationship.” The words were practically muffled against his shoulder. Mikleo laid there for a moment, Sorey listening in as Mikleo worked through the decision before the seraph lifted his head. “It’s a working relationship for them. Sorey and I have been together forever.”





	Bonded

**Author's Note:**

> I saw Venom and got ideas. I’m kind of mixing and matching the ides from the comics and the movie to fit what I want/need. Per usual the blame goes to Nami for encouraging me.

 

The hellions howled and snapped at her heels, their noise not enough to drown out the sound of her desperate gasps of breath. Samantha had been foolish to think that she would be able to outrun the hellions, stupid enough to take the twisting routes home.

There had been plenty of warnings. There had been an increase in hellions lately, so it was better to stick to the lit and well patrolled parts of Ladylake. Hellions preferred to stick to the shadows and prey on those that they could get alone. But there had been her curfew to consider, and she couldn’t be late again. Her parents would _kill_ her, if the hellions didn’t first.

She stumbled around a corner, desperately trying to map out her route back home. She knew these back alleys, she had been taking them all of her life. They backed up to run down houses and then the lakefront, only forgotten because the bright and shiny section of the city was streets and streets behind her. Samantha had spent plenty of afternoons, walking along the lakeshore, waving at the people who lived on the boats moored to the shore. But she was far away from there now.

Samantha sprinted when she hit a straightway, reaching back to shove a trash can behind her. As long as she kept turning corners she would stay ahead of the hellions, but it was more likely that she would lead them in circles. They would catch up to her eventually like that, either the hellions behind her or the ones that were lurking. Her only hope was to work her way back to the main street, wherever that was now.

Her next breath came out as a sob, Samantha trying to push herself faster when her legs felt like jelly and each breath burned in her throat. She was lost in the alleyways which were bound to twist, turn and lose her within them. And then the hellions would get her and tear her apart.

She’d seen one that the hellions had gotten. Her mother had tried to stop her from seeing it, but the body that had been there, bloody and only partially covered. She had seen the out flung hand, lying right beside a leg that had been torn free. That was when her mother had pulled her away, leaving her to stare at the Shepherds in attendance. In that moment, she had wondered what the point of them was. Now she wanted one there.

Samantha glanced over her shoulder, dropping her backpack low enough to turn and hit the nearest hellion. It yelped and fell away, tangling two others. But the fourth leapt over them and kept running after her. Samantha grabbed a better hold of her backpack strap, trying to come up with a plan. There was a corner just ahead, but Samantha didn’t think that she would be able to make it. She could try to hit the hellion with her backpack again, but Samantha doubted that the hellion would allow it. It had seen and learned from the others. And, if she paused, the others would be on her as well.

She licked her lips and looked ahead of her, whimpering when she saw nothing to keep the hellion back. Samantha clenched her fingers around the strap of her back, feeling the hellion’s breath when her arm swung back on the next stride.

Then the hellion had her sleeve.

Samantha screamed as she was pulled to the ground, automatically curling up into a ball. She dropped her backpack, reaching up to protect her neck. She closed her eyes, shaking at the hellion snapped at her hands. She felt its fangs dig in, and then it was being dragged away with a yelp.

She expected to hear the sounds of the hellions fighting over her, Samantha not sure when they would be back. She held still for the space of two breaths before lifting up her head and looking over her shoulder.

The other three hellions were there, snarling at something just beyond her but not moving. Samantha uncurled slightly, pushing herself up from the ground to look in front of her.

The fourth hellion was there, she could see its hindlegs, but the rest was obscured by the thick purple fog of malevolence.

The malevolence pulsed and twisted, looking almost like a heartbeat, the cloud fading with each pulse. As it cleared, she saw the hellion shift, the dog-like hind legs disappearing and turning into human legs in tattered pants.

Samantha watched the transformation with her mouth wide open, so caught up in the hellion that she missed the man crouched by him. It was only when he stood that she looked at him.

He stood out from the rest of the alley in his pristine, white clothes. Not even the dirt of the alley or the thick fog of the malevolence had married the white.

The man drew their long hair from over their shoulder with one hand, the motion drawing Samantha’s attention to the gold and blue on the front of their clothes. Her gaze lingered there for a moment before her gaze dropped to the man’s other hand. There was a shimmering covering there, Samantha watching as the water pulled back from where it had been wrapped around the former hellion’s body and up the man’s arm. It was an impossible movement, made even more impossible by the way it sunk into the man’s hand and clothes without leaving any wet spot. The man didn’t even seem to be aware that it had happened save for the way that he flexed his fingers.

The man gave the former hellion a glance before looking over at her. Samantha shrunk back against the asphalt as he stared at her, his eyes too blue to be natural. Then he smiled, the man reaching out for her. “Come on.”

She didn’t need more encouragement, Samantha scrambling to her feet and rushing over to him. She ran around to hide behind him, peering down at the other hellions.

Her departure seemed to have spurred the hellions on. They approached more cautiously now, one of them starting to drift over to where the purified man was sprawled on the ground.

Samantha flinched back, looking up at the man. He seemed undisturbed by the threat, the man standing his ground. Samantha almost reached out to touch the man’s shoulder, jerking back when she saw it deform.

Samantha didn’t quite know what she was seeing, if the fabric of his outfit shift or his body itself. It didn’t seem to matter, a blue jewel emerging from his shoulder, the fabric moving aside to make way for it. Samantha thought she saw a flash of blue, a swirl of water where his skin should be, but then she was distracted that the ornate bow that was rising out of the man’s shoulder.

The man tipped his head to the side, studying the bow for a while before breaking into a smile. “Thanks, love.”

Samantha blinked at the endearment, about to stammer out something until she realized that she wasn’t the one being talked to. The man wasn’t looking at her at all, he was focused on pulling the bow out of his shoulder.

She shivered as he pulled the bow up, gagging as it was finally pulled free. She expected blood, especially with all the sharp ends of the bow, but there was nothing. Just that swirl of water before it was gone. Samantha pressed her hand against her mouth, but she couldn’t stop herself from leaning around the man, watching as he drew the bow. As he did, water trailed from three of his fingers, forming arrows as he stepped into position.

He took aim at the three hellions, before going still. Samantha looked out at the hellion, a chill running up her spine when the hellions starting lumbering towards them.

Samantha went to grab at his arm, surprised when her fingers slid over the man’s clothes, like it was water and not really there at all. She gave the man a shocked look, but he didn’t respond. His attention was on the hellions until something made him tip his head to the side.

He stayed like that for a moment before chuckling and resettling his position. “Just let me do the firing, darling. I’ve got us covered.”

“Who are you talking to?”

She didn’t get a response, the man taking a sharp breath before letting it out, firing the arrows at the same time.

The arrows flew forward, some of them curving impossibly to hit their targets. A stream of water followed after them, the streams solid and not dripping as they followed the arrows out, and even when they snapped taut.

The man dropped to one knee, jamming one end of the bow into the ground before muttering something that Samantha didn’t catch, and then the hellions disappeared in a burst of purple fog.

The malevolence coursed along the strands of water, quickly becoming diluted. Samantha still took a step back, watching as the malevolence traveled along the streams to the man, the malevolence clustering around him before starting to disappear. Samantha glanced up, watching the malevolence disappear is small whips of silver.

She was still watching it when she heard someone groan, Samantha looking back at the four people that were sprawled on the ground. Her mouth dropped open, surprised at it all. She knew that the Shepherds were there to draw the malevolence out of people, but she had never seen it happen. It didn’t help that her heart was still pounding, Samantha reaching up to press her hand against it like it would keep it from beating out her chest.

Samantha licked her lips, looking back up at the man. He was studying the four men, his head tilted to the side.

Whatever was holding his attention didn’t last too long, the man jerking like he was snapping himself out of something. Then he looked back at her with a smile on his face, which looked strange with his blue eyes. It was like looking up at the surface from under water, blues shifting from dark to light with the sunlight playing over them. It was too much.

She turned away, Samantha scurrying forward to snatch up her backpack. She clutched it to her chest, turning to glance at the man. She could only hold his gaze for a moment before she looked away again.

The man chuckled, although Samantha couldn’t understand why. Then he was walking towards her, Samantha watching his boots. He paused right beside her, Samantha allowing herself quick glances. On one of them, she saw him smile and tip his head to the side. “I’ll make sure you get home safe.”

Samantha nodded, pulling her backpack over her shoulder and hurrying after him. As strange and frightening as the man was, it was better than the hellions. And, as soon as she got out of the alleyways, she was not going back. Not until the city was given the all clear.

* * *

Sorey shut the door behind him, taking a deep breath before slumping back against it. He closed his eyes, running his hand down his face. It had been an exhausting day; he could feel the drag of it through his whole body. All he wanted to do was collapse and sleep until dinner, but it was his turn to make sure that dinner got into the oven.

He let out his breath in a rush, Sorey pushing away from the door. He shrugged out of his jacket, twisting to hang it up. His shoes were next, toed off and kicked in the direction of the rack. They were out of the way of the door, which was all that mattered.

Sorey shuffled into the kitchen, opening the fridge and staring into it. It took him a moment to find the covered pan with the sticky note. He pulled it free and blinked at it before shrugging. Lucas was in charge of dinner and Sorey was at the point where he would eat anything, although that tended to be his default.

He pulled the sticky note off and nudged the pan into the oven, setting the oven to heat up and the timer. Sorey was sure that he was supposed to wait, but he was sure that, as soon as he sat down he wouldn’t be getting up until there was something to motivate him. Sorey glanced at the sticky note one last time before leaving it on the counter. He leaned back on the island, letting his eyes close.

**_Hungry._ **

Sorey opened one eye, glancing over at the timer. “We have an hour.”

The response he got was a mix of emotions and needs, tangled and twined together. But the gist of it was hunger and exhaustion, but the hunger was more important. Sorey rubbed his stomach, sighing. “We’ll survive for an hour.”

The emotions stopped for a moment before they changed, Sorey feeling himself go warm.

**_Not for that._ **

“I should have guessed.” Sorey pushed himself away from the island, walking over to the couch.

It felt good to sink into it, and good to get off his aching feet.

He felt a purr rumble through him, concern following soon after. Sorey smiled as he felt something cold on the soles of his feet, the cold touch only remaining for a moment before turning warm. Sorey sighed and curled his toes. “You spoil me, beloved.”

Warmth flooded through him, like he was being covered by a blanket. Sorey turned to rub his cheek against his shoulder, pausing when a shadow fell over him. Sorey tipped his head, smiling at the person. He shifted to get comfortable before opening his arms. “Come here.”

The person moved, laying on top of him. Sorey grinned at them before tipping his chin down to accept a cool kiss.

* * *

Sorey rocked his hips up, a whimper building in his throat when hands tugged his hips closer. He ground down against the waiting lap and hardness he felt there.

He heard a low growl, out loud and in his head. **_Hungry_**.

Sorey laughed, the sound breathless and momentary. His lips were claimed before he could do anything else, but he could send his approval rushing down the bond along with a little bit of a laugh. _I bet you are._

He got a huff in return, Sorey not getting the chance to relish his victory before he was getting the breath kissed out of him. Sorey moaned, wrapping his legs around a slim waist. His breath hitched as a long grind scooted him forward, Sorey feeling a pillow fall away, but his head didn’t slam down, it was caught and gently cradled. Sorey shuddered at the cold touch, wanting to kiss what was holding him there, but that would mean turning away from the mouth that was demanding his full attention.

Cold hands swept down his back, Sorey distantly hearing a sound that wasn’t the sound of his own moans or the deep purr that came from his mind and vibrated through every inch of him. Sorey arched up, digging his fingers into soft hair.

He got a moment more of bliss before the door slammed. Sorey jumped, grunting as Mikleo fell on top of him. Sorey sat up slightly, feeling cold sink slightly into him. He glanced down at Mikleo before looking up to meet Lucas’ gaze.

The man stared at him before groaning. “On the couch?”

**_It’s our couch._ **

Sorey reached down to stroke his fingers over Mikleo cheek, feeling the purring start up against as Mikleo leaned into the touch. With Mikleo appeased, he looked back over at Lucas with a shrug. “I needed to keep an eye on dinner.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow. “Would you have heard the timer go off?”

Mikleo lifted his head slightly, looking imperious. “I wouldn’t have let Sorey burn dinner.” He slumped back against Sorey, nuzzling against his jaw. “I’m starving.”

Sorey chuckled, turning to rub their noses together. “Am I not feeding you enough, love?”

Mikleo grumbled before subsiding, resting his head on Sorey’s shoulder. Sorey sighed and dropped his legs from around Mikleo’s waist. That would probably have to wait until they were alone. As it was, Mikleo felt sated enough, the seraph drifting on a mix of dopamine and other brain chemicals coming from him. Sorey tipped his head, watching as watery tendrils reached out to claim the pillow from the floor, the tendrils cradling his head and neck slipping away as Mikleo eased the pillow back under his head.

 _Thank you, beloved_.

He got a jumble of happiness as his answer. It was what he was looking for, and more than enough to tide Mikleo over until dinner.

Sorey stroked his hand down Mikleo’s back, turning his head to watch as Lucas bustled around the kitchen.

Lucas must have felt his gaze because he stopped and leaned back against the counter, shaking his head. “You know, when you said roommate, I assumed that it would just be you and I?”

Sorey rolled his eyes, not daring to shrug, not when Mikleo was so comfortably settled. “You knew I was a Shepherd.”

“Yeah, but the whole seraph…thing tends to be on the down low.” Lucas rubbed his eyes. “I’ve never seen one of them popping up as much as Mikleo does.”

“They’re insecure in their relationship.” The words were practically muffled against his shoulder. Mikleo laid there for a moment, Sorey listening in as Mikleo worked through the decision before the seraph lifted his head. “It’s a working relationship for them. Sorey and I have been together _forever_.”

Lucas shot him a surprised look, Sorey just laughing. “It’s true. It’s hard for them to fine a good vessel.”

**_You’re a damn fine one._ **

Sorey kissed the side of Mikleo’s head. “We’ve been together since I was two.”

“Damn, they’re recruiting early.”

Sorey sat up, feeling Mikleo groan. The seraph tried to push him down, Sorey feeling more of Mikleo slip out of him as Mikleo tried to give himself more mass, but he quickly gave up. Sorey leaned back against the couch, waiting until Mikleo had flowed back into him before standing up. He didn’t get more than two steps before he felt the familiar cool touch wrapping around his left ring finger. The touch settled him, Mikleo present on and in his body.

He walked over to the kitchen, sitting down on one of the stools. He gave Lucas a weak smile. “It’s what I get for being a sick kid up in Camlann.”

Lucas flinched. “Damn.”

Sorey nodded, his attention quickly attracted to the soft coo in his head. It came with a gentle stroke down his back, Sorey shifting so he could lean into the touch.

_Don’t regret it though,_

**_My one and only._ **

_Yours._

“Sorey?”

Sorey hummed, glancing up at Lucas. He took a moment to think back over the question that he had missed, sighing when Mikleo fed it back to him. He sent his thanks with a wave of love, feeling Mikleo do the mental equivalent of a blush before the seraph settled.

“It’s not that bad, I’ve had twenty-five years to get used to having him around.”

From the look that Lucas gave him, it had been a while since he had asked the question.

Sorey rubbed the back of his neck, feeling tendrils of Mikleo seeping out of his skin to lap at his fingers as they passed. “It’s been a tough week.”

That seemed to settle Lucas, the man leaned forward with a groan. “Tell me about it. The police are running around looking for hellions and we’ve been briefed on what to do if we see one. I can only assume that you’re being run off your feet.”

Sorey shrugged. “Ten or so.”

**_Ten or so today._ **

Sorey ignored the insistence, because it wouldn’t make sense to Lucas. Just what Shepherds did was shadowy to most people. They were things of legend, just like the seraphim that they carried. Sorey thought that most people didn’t like the thought of being a host, mostly because of what the word entailed.

**_Not host, vessel._ **

The corner of Sorey’s mouth twitched up and he curled the fingers of his hand so he could close them more firmly around the tendril there. _No, not host._

He glanced up as Lucas turned back towards the stove, busying himself as the timer went off. Sorey leaned forward, taking a deep breath at the scent of the meatloaf. He felt Mikleo perk up, the seraph nudging slightly more into control for a deep breath himself before he was settling back with a happy hum. Sorey could feel the contentment through their bond, Mikleo practically purring again. Any more of this and Sorey was sure that Mikleo would end up partially comatose, or whatever counted as such for a seraph. Mikleo didn’t sleep per say, he just went dormant. What he did during that time Sorey wasn’t sure, the most he knew was that sometimes dreams drifted between them, but he was long past the embarrassment stage about that.

Sorey perked up as a plate was slid in front of him, looking up to meet Lucas’ concerned gaze. “Is that seraph of yours taking too much from you?”

Sorey stared at Lucas for a moment, only realizing what he was saying when Mikleo gave an affronted huff. Sorey felt Mikleo slip away, his presence pooling along Sorey’s back and legs before he was slipping out and reforming. Sorey felt arms wrap around him just before Mikleo settled into place, Sorey finding himself sitting in the seraph’s lap. He tipped his head to the side, watching as Mikleo rested his chin on his shoulder.

He glanced over at Lucas, watching as the man blinked rapidly. It occurred to Sorey then that Lucas rarely saw Mikleo when formed like this. Usually Mikleo was a curl of water somewhere around him, or a tendril reaching out. It wasn’t that Mikleo never took this form, it was that it was a more private thing between the two of them.

Mikleo glared at Lucas for a moment more before tugging Sorey close against him. “I don’t eat him.”

Lucas blinked, his fork hanging loose in his fingers. “So…no organs? No eating his life force?”

Sorey felt Mikleo’s disgust. “Why would I hurt Sorey?”

“I don’t know how seraphim work!” Lucas shrugged. “I just know you live in people and do something to malevolence.” Lucas paused to look down at his plate before glancing back at the stove. “Do you need a plate?”

Mikleo shook his head. “Sorey eating is enough.”

That seemed to break the tension, Lucas snorting as he cut into his meatloaf. “Eating for two.”

“Something like that.” Sorey gave him a smile before focusing on his meatloaf. He paused with the fork partially to his mouth, the corner of his mouth quirking up as he felt Mikleo settle back into relaxation. The seraph held his loosely, Sorey feeling the tendril around his ring finger tighten slightly. He reached down with his other hand to twine their fingers together. It would mean eating with one hand, but Sorey was used to it.

He turned his attention to the meatloaf, getting a few bites in before Lucas cleared up. Sorey gave Lucas a quick glance, watching as the man used his fork to gesture at them. “Is this going to be a regular thing?”

Sorey gave him an apologetic grin, but nodded. “It is.”

“Alright. Just a boy and his…boyfriend?” Lucas squinted at Mikleo for a moment before shrugging. “Whatever floats your boat. Just put a sock on the door to give me some advance warning.”

Mikleo chuckle rumbled through him, Sorey smiling through the vibration deep into the marrow of his bones. “Can do.”

Lucas mouthed something to himself and rolled his eyes. Sorey felt Mikleo perk up, and then the seraph settled again. Sorey squeezed Mikleo’s hand for reassurance. Lucas had worked with many Shepherds, but not many Shepherds were like him. The partnership was strictly professional or friends at the most. Then again, none of them had bonded with their seraph at such a young age.

Sorey stroked his thumb over the back of Mikleo’s hand. He could feel Lucas’ curious looks, although the time between them was growing longer. After a long shift chasing after and cleaning up after hellions, it was impossible to ignore a good, hot meal. Even with the temptation of Mikleo it was hard for Sorey to ignore.

He didn’t know if the snort was in his mind or out loud, although Lucas didn’t react so there was a good chance that it had only been in his head.

**_I think I’m a little better than meatloaf._ **

_But this is good meatloaf._

There was a pause as Mikleo nudged forward to use Sorey’s taste buds. The noncommittal sound Mikleo made was answer enough. _I’ll pass your approval on to Lucas._

**_Maybe later. You’re warm, and I want to finish what we left off._ **

Sorey shivered, giving Lucas a surreptitious glance before sending his approval. _But keep it quiet, yeah?_

**_Is that permission?_ **

It was impossible to ignore the eagerness in Mikleo’s voice, Sorey ducking his head to hide his smile. The two of them had been working hard, to the point where they had been stumbling home and collapsing in a tangled pile. Mikleo deserved a bit more than happy brain chemicals induced by sleep.

_We have the day off tomorrow._

**_We do…_ **

_Sleeping in and that documentary._

He felt Mikleo shudder, the shake going through him. **_I love you so much._**

_I love you too, beloved._

“Sorey?”

He looked up at Lucas, giving a slight shake of his head. “It’s nothing, just making plans for tomorrow.”

Sorey felt Mikleo shift, the seraph smiling through their bond in his head and against his neck. Sorey didn’t feel the same need. He grinned broadly as he dug back into the meatloaf, eager to get back to his room and pick up where they had left off.

END


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